Spain/Renfe
 

I'm trying to buy train tickets using Renfe app.
They are asking for "mobile pay code". ??? What is "mobile pay code?

If you don't know, you don't have one. You set up an acct with Renfe to allow payment by phone and give them youcreditcard info.

I booked several trips on Renfe using my PC and I do remember having to register first. Very good website and very good trains.

The RENFE website is incredibly annoying, the trains themselves are excellent.

As noted by buzzcolin, once you're registered with Renfe, there shouldn't be a problem buying your tickets. The app works great!

The Man in Seat 61 recommends several alternative booking sites. I've used www.trainline.eu and was happy with its efficiency.
www.seat61.com

I also have always found the RENFE site to be incredibly annoying to use. I think I used a brick and mortar travel agent to reserve my train tickets when I visited Spain 2 years ago. I'll have to check out the registration option for my trip next Spring.

I had no difficulties with the RENFE site when I was in Spain a couple of years back, aside from the fact that the trains I wanted kept not showing up. I also discovered that it was considerably cheaper to buy tickets on the web site rather than at the station. I was using a Penfed credit card, signature preferred but with a PIN, but I don't remember whether it asked for the PIN.

@thursdaysd: I seem to remember from 2 years ago that someone on this forum said it was not possible to buy tix on the RENFE website unless you were already in Spain. Do you or anyone else know if that's true?

Seat61 (https://www.seat61.com/Spain.htm#How...ckets_to_Spain ) says this:

Step 3, onward trains from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Alicante, Algeciras and so on can be bought from Renfe (Spanish Railways) at www.renfe.com. However, given Renfe's quirky translations and fussy payment system which can reject a proportion of overseas cards, it's much easier to use www.trainline.eu (in €, no booking fee), www.loco2.com (in € or £, no booking fee if you use a debit card), or www.petrabax.com/renfe (in US$ with a small mark-up), all of which sell Renfe's cheap Promo fares with Renfe's print-at-home tickets.

I don't remember whether I bought any tickets from outside Spain. However, since Preferente was cheap bought online, and never full, it wasn't a problem for me. The only train that was full was Salamanca to Madrid where I was in tourist class.

Yesterday I registered on the Renfe site and bought my first set of tickets - from Canada with a Visa card. I will note that I have Verified by Visa on that card.
One goes to the english (or as english as you will get)site and start to register. You can choose your country, and though it asked for my 'Postal Code' it would not accept letters, only numbers. Canada has a combination of both, but since I don't plan to receive mail from them, I entered 11111.
All fields need to be completed and you do need to use some formal identification - in my case, Passport is the only option as not having European identification.
During the process, it asks for a log in and password, and it also has the option to create a mobile pay code so you can use the app. I didn't plan to use the app, but didn't create it. I expect you would provide your credit card details so that future purchases are made on the card rather than re-entering the details every time. When I made my purchase, like many sites, it asked if I wanted it to keep the details for future purchases.
I had no trouble making my route selections and paying online. No payment issues and when you get the verification, it asks if you want to 'print to pdf'. I said yes and saved those documents for printing at later date. It also sent me email confirmation of invoice and the ticket as an attachment. It took a few minutes but did arrive.
It makes sense to register as you can log in and access your tickets, and it also has one of those scannable boxes so you should be able to travel even without paper tickets.
One thing that was interesting is that it asked me if I wanted to pay in Canadian dollars rather than Euro. Hearing horror stories about the bad exchange rates and extra fees, I said no, but took note of the exchange rate and the amount they would have charged me. After purchase, I checked XE website (my go to for currency equivalents) and they actually would have been a favourable rate. On the 12.90E ticket, I would have saved $2. with their rate.
So, don't discount that option out of hand. It might be a good savings on a long haul.